


Love Follows

by afteriwake



Series: What Love Does [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-13
Updated: 2012-07-13
Packaged: 2017-11-09 21:03:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/458385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Perhaps the ring his mother gave him is magic after all...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love Follows

He’d always wondered about the ring his mother gave him. His mother had said love would follow the ring. He’d put it on Snow White’s finger but then she had taken it off and that was the end of it. And one thing had led to another and then he was in Queen Regina’s dungeon, her prisoner. It was better than having his head cut off, but not by much.

She had confiscated the ring when her Huntsman had searched him. She slipped it on her finger, where it was a perfect fit, and declared it hers. He was angry, because the ring had been meant for the woman he loved, and he did not love the queen. But there was nothing he could do.

Two nights after his capture she came to his cell. He assumed she wanted to gloat, but she didn’t. She had a chair brought to her, and then she sat and talked to him, in civil tones, about things. She explained what Snow White had done to her. If he had been less angry perhaps he would have felt sorry for her. But he stayed civil as well, and after an hour she and her chair left.

She came the next night, though, and the night after that, and every night for a week. He was still angry, but an evil queen who wasn’t gloating and just seemed lonely surprised him, and one thing he knew was when something intrigued him he wanted to know more about it. That was how it had been with Snow White; now it appeared that her step-mother was the intriguing one. Slowly the anger began to fade, even though cell bars separated them as they talked. But the visits got longer, and then got more frequent.

After a week he was taken out of his cell, given a fresh change of clothes, and brought before the queen. His wrists were shackled, but once he was in her presence she ordered them removed. She held up the ring that she had taken from him. “Is there magic behind this ring?” she asked.

He shrugged slightly. “My mother never told me if it was a magic ring. She just said that love would follow it.”

“It’s a dangerous piece of jewelry,” she replied before slipping it back on her finger. “Are you still upset it’s adorning my finger?”

He thought about it, then slowly shook his head. “If I’ve learned anything about you this week it’s that you deserve love, too. Hopefully love will find you again.”

“You’re free to go,” Queen Regina said. “You may go off in search of my troublesome stepdaughter, if you wish.”

He was surprised at the change of heart, and if it had happened earlier he would have questioned her motives more. “Thank you, your majesty.”

“However,” she said, and he steeled at the catch. “I would like it if you remained here. You intrigue me, and I believe there are things I can offer you that another woman cannot.”

He looked at her. It was true that part of him wanted to go find Snow, but a larger part of him wanted to stay and learn more about Queen Regina. They had talked enough in the last week that he would admit he was intrigued by her. And part of him hoped that if he stayed, perhaps he could change her fate. “Will I remain a prisoner?”

She shook her head. “You would be treated as an honored guest. I would have rooms made available for you and all that you need would be provided for you.”

He nodded, then bowed deeply at the waist. “Then I will accept your invitation to stay, your majesty.” He straightened up and saw an unmistakable smile cross her face, and he gave a grin back. Perhaps the queen was right and the ring was magic. But it didn’t matter in the long run. He would stay, and that was all that mattered.


End file.
